Parking Enforcement

Parking Enforcement Due Diligence Documentation to Support Tows

Following the parking enforcement tow policy of one our properties, as the site security guard for Overton Security, I towed a vehicle that had been parked in a red zone for over three hours.  The next day my office got a call from the irate property manager claiming we had illegally towed a tenant’s vehicle and the tenant wanted them to pay for it.  The tenant said that he had only parked there for about 10 minutes and the security guard was not telling the truth.  The first clue was that you can’t tow a vehicle in 10 minutes.  The word of the tenant was taken as gospel and as the security guard I was automatically on the defensive.  I cited the vehicle on my first round, and on my second round, three hours later, the citation was still on the vehicle.  I called the Overton security supervisor to respond to the location as a stand-by and sign off on the tow.  I also took pictures of the vehicle.  The time I called Dispatch for the citation and for the tow was recorded and time-stamped.  After submitting our documentation, we did not hear back from the property manager.  If it had not been for our “due diligence” we (I), the security guard would have been at fault.  Documentation is very time-consuming, making the towing of vehicles a very expensive proposition, not only for the tenant but your security provider as well.  I think my company should have made the property manager more aware of the fact that we are required to follow the parking enforcement policy and submit documentation supporting all tows.  When confronted by an angry tenant the property manager could explain our parking enforcement policy to the tenant and have them call us with any questions.  This will leave the property manager free to put out all the other fires.   –Jason Stanford,  Parking Enforcement, Overton Security